


Into the woods

by Lolax74



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gunshot Wounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-13
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-04 05:44:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4127271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lolax74/pseuds/Lolax74
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coulson is attacked by Hydra and he must escape while injured. May and Skye are looking for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language so I am sorry for every bad writing or mistakes.

“Ok May, I will study all the files as soon as I get back…” said Coulson.  
“Perfect! I will settle all the information that we have…it’s not much but could be enough for a start…”

Coulson was on a jet with a pilot and an agent, following a lead about Ward. Not a field operation, just a research mission. He was headed to a remote city in Canada, a place where Ward maybe had some contacts. The rest of the team was already in another mission so he had volunteered to go, also because this was an easy mission and this was the first time outside with his new hand.

The past few months were not easy. After the hand loss he suffered for cronic pain and depression. He tried to be fine for the rest of the team but sometimes he could not. Finally Fitz found a replacement for his hand, a prosthesis hand that looked like a real one. So he went to a long surgery and a very long rehabilitation, sometimes very painful but he was finally able to come back in the field. May was, of course, against, wanting to protect his friend but she could not tell him not to go this time but she was at the base following every step. 

He was in the air, on the US-Canadian border, still talking with May.

“And how the rest of the team is going?”  
“The mission is going fine. Skye is already coming back and Bobbi and Hunter will be there soon”  
“Good! I hope to find some information. This place could be….” he could not finish his sentence because an explosion shocked the jet.  
“What’s happening? Coulson talk to me!” May was screaming on the radio.  
“May, May, there are shooting at the jet…I don’t know who is….”  
“Try to find a place where to land…..Coulson? Coulson?”

May was alone in the office. The radio was silent. She was already blaming herself but also she was already preparing to going out and finding his friend.

On the jet there was chaos. The pilot was trying to avoid the shots bur they were already falling. Coulson was trying to tie the seat belt preparing for the worst. The plane crashed.

*******

He was tired. He had pain everywhere. His mind was clouded. He could not remember why he was in this situation. He opened his eyes with great effort. Now he could remember. He was in the jet that was on the ground, almost entirely destroyed by the fall. He tried to move but a sharp pain from his ribs informed him that he probably was not in good shape. He moved slowly and when he got up almost fell again. His head hurt and he felt dizzy. He tried to take a couple of breaths. He went to the cockpit to check his agents but they were both dead. He tried the radio but it was broken so he pushed the SOS button hoping that it would work. He looked around. He was in a wood and he could see the valley below. There was not any city around. He was trying to figure out what to do when he spotted some men on the side of the mountain. They were heading to the jet. He found a binoculars and everything quickly became worse: they were Hydra men, probably the same who shot down the plane. He had to leave the jet very soon. He tried to move as quickly as possible with his pain. He changed in tactical suit and found a medical and a survival bag. He give himself a shoot of morphine to ease the pain and put everything he could in a backpack and left the jet heading to the woods. He was hoping that May could find the SOS soon but he had to hide soon. Hydra was coming.


	2. Chapter 2

Coulson was running as fast as he could. He knew that he had to find a shelter before nigh fall. But he was not in a good shape. First time in the field after the surgery and with different shades of injuries. Morphine had dulled the pain in his ribs but his head was killing him and he had an hard time just to walk. And of top of that Hydra was hot on his trail. So he kept running.

On the base May was ready to leave. She had prepare maps and coordinates. She had received the SOS signal so at least she knew that someone was still alive after the crash. She took a jet with Skye and Simmons, Fitz and Mac. They left the base in a hurry.

On the jet it was difficult to say who was more preoccupied. May was silent, more than usual. Skye was next to her in the cockpit looking outside. Simmons was checking again and again her medical bags with Fitz. Also Mac was uneasy knowing that this was the first time that Coulson was outside alone after he cut off his hand. He knew that he saved his life but still….

It was almost night and Coulson had to stop. He was in pain and he could not walk anymore. He hid in a small shelter between trees and a rock, hoping to be invisible to his chasers. He was well trained also for this kind of situations but he was long time ago that he need to do that. He gave himself another shoot of morphine. He had just another for the morning and then no more painkiller. He drank some waters and ate an energetic bar just to kept his strength. He need to stay alert but he was weak and sleepy. He tried a lot to stay awake but in the end he just doozed off. 

The team was on the site crash. It was night so it was difficult to do a full inspection but May found the two dead agents but could not find Coulson. There were a lot of tracks so someone else was there. She understood immediately the scenario: Coulson was on the run. The medical and survival kits were gone and she knew that Coulson was trained for survival in tough circumstances but she did not know his physical condition. A fall like that had killed the two agents then Coulson could not be in good condition.

Coulson wake up with a start. He had fallen asleep and now he had to move soon. The pain was back, everytime more strong. He gave himself the last shoot of morphine hooping to have backup soon. When he got up he was seized by a fit of coughing and spat blood. Not a good sign. Probably a rib has punctured a lung. He knew that he had not a lot of time. And, as always, his head was killing him. He was sure he had a concussion but he had to be strong and kept moving.

May and Skye were at the head of the group trying to follow the tracks. Coulson was too smart to leave some traces but his chasers were not preoccupied about it so May and Skye decided to follow them so they could at least save him if he was caught. 

Coulson now could only walk and not very fast. Often he needed to stop and catch his breath. He was felling more and more weak. His vision blurred and he was burning with fever. He knew that he had not lot of time. He was sure that his team was looking for him but he did not knew how far they were. 

May and the team finally found Coulson’s trackers. A group of 12 Hydra men. They were outnumbers but they could rely on the element of surprise. So, while Fitz and Simmons were on the back, May, Skye and Mac took off, one by one, all the Hydra men less the one who seems to be the leader to questioning him.  
They did not go far because he knew nothing and had not tracked Coulson. May tried to get to the bottom but he killed himself with a cyanide pill, Hydra style.  
They kept going screaming Coulson’s name. They had to find him and they knew that they had not more time left.


	3. Chapter 3

Coulson was never been so tired in his whole life. He kept walking but he was at the end of his force. Every few steps he needs to stop and rest every time for more minutes. He could not see any city or house around, just trees and mountains. He had no more painkillers and just a bottle of water. But he really had no choice so he kept heading down the valley hoping to find some help.

May and Skye were getting crazy. They could not find Coulson. It was more than 36 hours from the last contact so they were desperately trying to track him down. Finally they found a track but not what they hooped for: a track of blood, so Coulson was injured but they do not know how badly.

He was on the ground. He really did his best but he could not walk anymore. Every step was a torture, he could barely breath and he has a fever and he was sweating but at the same time he was cold. He knew the situation, he will be dead soon without help. He was with his back on the ground, looking to the sky. With his last force he was thinking of his team, his family. Strangely enough he was thinking that May will be mad at him and Skye will fell abandoned again, just when she finally has found a family, has found him. In his feverish state he had the sensation of hearing his name called out loud but he could not move, not even his head. He closed his eyes.

May, Skye and the rest of team were screaming Coulson’s name following the tracks of blood. 

“May, May…I think there is something right there…”screamed Skye who was already on the run.

The whole team followed Skye and they finally could spot Coulson on the ground. May had a shiver on her back because he was on the ground, so very still.  
Skye was the first on his side.

“Coulson, oh my god we found you, Coulson can you hear me?”  
He was almost totally unconscious but Skye’s voice seems to bring him back for a moment. He tried to open his eyes, barely doing so. 

“Skye……” he said very low.

Simmons was already trying to assess the damages. 

“Coulson, Coulson, try to stay awake, we are here, you are going to be fine, just hold on!” Simmons was quickly with her medications. She injected a powerful drug to help him with the pain and she put on him an oxygen mask because his oxygen level was very low.

“We need to move him, now!” said Simmons.

May was already on the move, urging Mack and Fitz to put Coulson on the stretcher. 

“C’mon guys, the jet it’s not far away, we need to move”

Coulson was living all of this like a dream. He could not feel pain anymore because he was going into shock and he could listen all the voices around like something very far away from him. He could almost not understand what they are saying, just every now and then he could recognize Skye’s voice how was whispering to him something sweet and reassuring. He blacked out.

They finally were on the jet. Simmons was monitoring Coulson and she was more and more worried. A lung was definitely punctured and she did not know if he had internal bleedings. He had a concussion and she need to be in her lab to treat him. There was not a lot that she could do in the jet.

May was piloting while Skye was keeping Coulson’s hand in hers talking to him also if she was sure that he could not hear her. 

“Coulson, please, open your eyes…..please…” Skye was trying her best to bring him back.  
“He is unconscious Skye, he can’t ear you…” said Simmons.  
“I know, but….”  
“It’s ok, I am sure that somewhere his subconscious is listening to you”  
“We are almost home” said May and they were immediately relieved.


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as they arrived at the base, Coulson was moved in the medical room. Simmons was already working on him trying to ease his pain and understand the damages. After a couple of hours she went in the waiting room where the whole team was waiting.

“Now is stable. He has a head injury that worries me a little because there is a bruise on the right side of the brain; two broken ribs, one of which pierced the lung; various wounds and injuries all over his body; a dislocated shoulder; he is not in good shape but considering that he fell from a plane and fled in a wood for two days from a Hydra team ...... I would say that he is lucky. It will take time but he will recover” said Simmons.

Everybody breathed a sigh of relief at her words, knowing that it will be takes time but in the end Coulson will be alright. Skye was still pale and shacking but now was also optimistic. For a moment she had thought the worst and now she just wanted to talk to him, laugh with him, see his eyes, hear his voice.

“Can I stay with him? I mean…I don’t want him to wake up alone….” asked Skye.  
“Of course but he will sleep for at least the next six or seven hours…” said Simmons.  
“It’s fine, I don’t mind…”

Skye spent the next hours with Coulson waiting for him to come back. May stayed in the room for a while but she had to go away to attend some Shield business instead of Coulson.

“Skye I will be in the office. Call me when he wakes up?  
“Of course!” said Skye.

May just give Coulson a caress on his cheek and went to work.  
Skye dozed on and off for a while when she was awakened by a movement and a groan from Coulson’s bed. He was agitated and tried to wake up.

“Hey Coulson, it’s all right…..you are safe now….” said Skye.  
He opened his eyes but they were unfocused. He still was feverish and Simmons gave him lots of painkillers “Coulson, can you hear me?”  
“Skye…what’s happening?”  
“We found you….we are at the base. You are not in a great shape but you are going to be fine…..just rest, I will be there if you need something”

He spent the rest of the day sleeping, sometime awaking for some minutes, confused and unfocused but the medications were working and at least he was not in pain anymore.  
The next day he woke up with Skye, May and Simmons around his bed.  
“I always hoped to wake up with 3 wonderful women on my side….” he said.   
They smiled “Hi handsome, welcome back” said May.

*******  
After 3 days in bed he was eager to leave the medical room. Simmons was ready to keep him in bed some more days but he was growing impatient so Simmons release him with the promise to being careful.   
Now he was in his office but May was leading the meeting with him and Skye trying to found out Hydra base. Being still in recovery he was out of his usual suit and he was in a t-shirt and slacks with a beard of a week, giving him a very unusual look.

“Skye has found a trail with some messages from Hydra. We have found two possible locations…here and here….” May was updating the core team.   
“I think we should move quickly. Hydra is once again organizing and I bet Ward is somehow involved…” said Coulson.  
“I am sure about it. I could try to intercept some satellites video stream so we could decide where to start…” said Skye.  
“Ok then we should start….Phil?” said May.

Coulson was now pale and he had some problems breathing. May and Skye were at his side “Phil, what’s wrong?”  
“Just need a minute….” he said keeping his arm around his body.   
“We should call Simmons….” said Skye.  
“No, no, I am fine….”  
“Ok Phil, no more meeting for you today. You should rest. Skye please, I am going to finish this, you help him in his bed and be sure that he stay in. Or I call Simmons….”

The threatening of having again Simmons who surely would put him to bed for a week was effective so he went to his room with Skye without complaining. And, to be honest, he was not feeling very well.  
In the office May was thinking that it was time to make Hydra paid for everything. And if Ward was in it, even better.


	5. Chapter 5

After four more days Coulson was feeling better, finally able to stand for the most part of the day without feeling like he was going to die.  
Skye and May were working hard to find a trail for Ward and Hydra and finally they found a warehouse outside Chicago that looks like an Hydra HQ. And Ward was spotted often around so there was a good chance that they could blow a lethal punch on the enemy.

“I think we have all the information we need. We are ready!” Skye was presenting the plan to the whole team, giving everyone roles for the mission. When the meeting ended, Skye, May and Coulson were left alone in the room.

“I think I should be there…” said Coulson.  
“It’s too dangerous! You can barely stand for ten minutes, there are going to be lots of action and running and shooting….I don’t think you are in any shape for doing this….it’s too soon….” said May.  
Skye sensed the tension between the two friends and she agree with May “May is right, you need more time….I know that this is an important mission but we can handle….”  
“I am sure you can handle Hydra and Ward….it’s just….I hate being at the HQ while my team is on the field…” said Coulson.  
“I know but you are the Director now and you have a whole different kind of responsibilities. And you are not fine yet. There is no need to stay at the HQ. You could stay on the backup jet with Fitz-Simmons so you can follow the mission very near to us….” said May.  
Coulson was not happy but he was not going to jeopardize the mission. Skye and May were right.

The next morning the team was ready outside the warehouse. Two different team, each from one side of the target.  
May and Skye were together and they were going first. They found immediately a small Hydra team and they eliminated instantly. The second team was heading inside from the back. Mission was going smoothly and Coulson was worried because in his experience, mission like this one never went smoothly.  
After some minutes, in fact, things go south with multiple crossfires that trapped May and Skye in a remote part of the warehouse.

“We are trapped, we can move from a side of……fffffzzzzzzz” May message was interrupted.  
“May? May? Do you copy?” asked Coulson “Team 2, are you on rescue?”  
“Negative sir, we cannot go on the other side, not now. We are fighting two Hydra team….” 

Coulson was worried sick. May and Skye were trapped somewhere with no communication and probably with shortage of ammunition.  
“I need to go inside” said Coulson.  
“No, Coulson, you can’t do that…” said Simmons and Fitz was nodding.  
“Guys, we don’t have lots of choices here…..I will stay in communication with you all the time. As soon as I find May and Skye we are coming back here. Take also a look on the other team, please”  
Simmons could not argue with Coulson. May and Skye could be in real danger.  
He was inside in seconds, looking around to spot every trap. No Hydra man was in sight. Everything seems clear. He walked for a while and he found a closed room with two men at the door. He shot both and went inside. In the middle of the room both Skye and May were tied on a chair with mouth bandaged. Skye was unconscious but she was breathing while May looked at him with fear on her eyes. Coulson looked around but no one was in sight so he went to May and remove the bandage on her mouth.

“Are you ok?”  
“Phil, it’s a trap, go away…” said May.  
As soon as May finished talking a scary laugh break the silence in the room.  
“Good to see you again, Phil. You are a very difficult guy to kill” Ward was in the room with a gun pointed to Coulson’s head.


	6. Chapter 6

Coulson froze in his spot. He was cursing himself because for his desire to save his team now they all risked to die. Grant was at his back moving around him.

“Raise your hands Phil, be a good boy!” says Ward.

Coulson raised his hands and was looking around to find a way to escape.

“I thought that blow up your jet was enough to kill you but, once again, you have proved that death it’s not really your thing…”  
“I can surprise you again if you lower your gun…”  
“I don’t think so….in fact I was thinking of blow your head in front of your girls….” Ward had a scary smile on his face. Coulson could see that May was trying to free herself while Skye was waking up. May’s chair creaked and Ward lower his eyes for just a moment and Coulson was on him.  
They started to fight while May freed from the ropes and was helping Skye.

The fight between Coulson and Ward was furious and they were fighting just over a banister when Ward shot Coulson in the stomach and he fell over. Ward was looking down when May hit him and he too fell over but while Coulson was in the level just down the room, Ward fell a lot more down disappearing from the view. May and Skye rush to Coulson who was on his back, unconscious and with blood all over his body.

“Simmons, can you hear me?” asked May.  
“Yes, what’s happening? Where is Coulson?”  
“Hurry up, Coulson is being shot”

Skye was looking at the scene in shock. May was trying to stop the bleeding. Simmons and Fitz where there in seconds and Simmons immediately was on Coulson. 

“I can’t do a lot here, we need to come back to the base. Now!” says Simmons.

Everyone was running, hoping that Coulson was strong enough to resist.   
They arrive at the base and Simmons brought Coulson in the medical room.

May, Skye and the rest of the team waited outside.

“He is going to be fine” says May.  
“How could you say that? Have you seen how much blood…” says Skye.   
“I know because Phil is strong…I need to be sure of having him next to us….”

The two women were trying to stay strong because no one could even think of losing their boss, friend and family.

Also Simmons in the medical room was thinking the same thing while she was treating Coulson for the second time in few days. She wanted to cry but she needed to stay strong. After almost four hours she was tired as hell but Coulson was finally stable.  
She went outside the room to tell the other and they all waited for him to wake up.

After almost a day Coulson tried to open his eyes but also the light hurt. He could hear a beep next to him and he knew that he was in an hospital bed but he could not remember why. He could also sense that someone was with him. Slowly he opened his eyes and smiled. Skye was sleeping in a chair next to his bed. He moved a little and Skye was awake in a second.

“Hey, you are awake!”  
“Hey, how are you?” he asked.  
“Well, that’s strange: you were the one with a bullet inside…”  
“A bullet….yeah…..Ward….I remember….how is everyone?”  
“You are amazing….they are fine, they are just waiting for you”  
“Good, that’s good….” He closed his eyes. He was tired.  
“It’s ok, Simmons says that you should rest and you will be good as new in a few weeks”  
“Well, I am not usually so good so I think it’s ok….” He tried to joke but he was already drifting.  
“Just rest, I will be here when you wake up”

He did just so, resting, knowing that he was safe, that Skye was on his side, May was in charge, Simmons was checking on him every now and them, Hunter, Mack, Bobbi and Fitz where in his room talking and laughing with Skye and he was in peace, with his family and a bullet seem not a big thing now.


End file.
